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20 Best Low Light Succulents for Your Home

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Succulents are a popular houseplant because they can survive in harsh conditions and require little water. Low light succulents are perfect for people who live in apartments or houses with few windows, as they thrive well without natural sunlight. 

Read on to find out all about 20 of the best low light succulents.

1. Jade Plant

One of the most popular low-light succulents is the jade plant. This plant is native to South Africa and does well in lower light levels or direct sunlight. The jade plant needs very little water and can tolerate dry conditions. 

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Jade plants are also low maintenance plants and relatively pest-resistant, so there’s no need to worry about chemicals or harsh treatments. 

To keep your jade plant thriving, water it once every two weeks in the spring and summer and every few weeks in the fall and winter.

2. Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is a succulent native to tropical regions around the world, where it thrives in sunny environments with sandy or rocky soil. 

Aloe Vera Plant

Aloe plants require a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. They can be grown indoors but will need to be placed near a sunny window to receive indirect sunlight.

The Aloe Vera plant should be watered regularly, and their soil kept slightly moist. The soil can be allowed to dry out in between watering, but when you water your plant, make sure the water penetrates deep into the roots. 

3. Aluminum Plant

The Aluminum plant is a succulent that can thrive in low light environments. 

Aluminum Plant

It has broad, dark green leaves that give it a distinctive look. This is a very low-maintenance plant. It’s easy to care for but only requires regular watering if the soil is dry.

An Aluminum Plant can survive in indirect light, though it will stay healthier and produce more leaves when it gets at least four hours of sunlight per day. Because it can adapt to low-light environments, this plant is perfect for offices or other areas where lighting is difficult to control.

While Aluminum Plants are pretty tough, they can still get infested with pests. Watch out for mealybugs and spider mites that may need to be removed by hand if they become a problem. 

If the plant’s leaves begin to turn yellow, this means it’s not getting enough water, and it will need to be watered more frequently.

4. ZZ Plant

The ZZ plant is a tropical perennial that is native to Africa. It has glossy, dark green leaves and produces white flowers. 

ZZ Plant

The ZZ plant prefers bright to low indirect lighting for approximately 12 hours a day so that an Eastern-facing window would work best. If it doesn’t get enough light, the leaves will turn yellow or brown and fall off. 

This plant does very well with cool temperatures (no higher than 70 degrees F), so it’s an excellent choice for office spaces or homes prone to hot temperatures.

The soil should be kept moist but not wet. Water once per week during the spring and summer and decrease watering to about once every two weeks during the fall and winter months.

5. Snake Plant

The Snake plant is a variety of succulents native to West Africa. It is a relatively easy plant to care for, thriving in low-light conditions. 

Snake Plant

Making them great low light indoor plants. The snake plant is also known as the mother-in-law’s tongue.

These plants are not only beautiful, but they’re also easy to care for! They’re excellent houseplants, and this makes it easy to bring a bit of nature into your home no matter how much sunlight you get. 

6. Spider Plant

The spider plant is a monocotyledonous herbaceous perennials plant belonging to the Asparagaceae family. It is native to tropical and subtropical regions of East Africa, Asia, Australia and Polynesia.

Spider Plant

The spider plant gets its name from the shape of the leaves that resemble spiders legs. 

The plant sometimes goes by common names such as “airplane plant” because it was mistakenly thought that the plant was brought over from Japan.

The spider plant is great indoor low-light succulents because it can thrive in indirect sunlight. The leaves will grow towards the light, so it’s essential to place them in an area where they will get some indirect sunlight.

7. Ponytail Palm

Other low light succulents include the ponytail palm, a tropical plant native to Mexico. It is a succulent that grows in clumps. It has long stems that will grow up to ten feet. The stems are defined by rings which signify the age of the plant.

Ponytail Palm

The ponytail palm can adapt well in many different situations, making it virtually maintenance-free. It can survive periods of drought and does not require much light or water to thrive.

8. Holiday Cacti

Holiday cacti are succulent plants that typically bloom around the holiday season or earlier if it’s kept away from cold. The holiday cactus is also known as the Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus, but most people just call it “Cactus ‘Minnie'”.

Holiday Cacti

One of the reasons holiday cacti plants are good low-light succulents is that they originate from the rainforest.

This means that they are used to living in a moist environment, making them perfect for indoor succulent gardens.

As a tip, if the plant is kept in too cold of an environment, it may not bloom. If you plan to grow your holiday cactus in temperatures below fifty degrees Fahrenheit (10°C), wrap the succulent with bubble or other insulating material during the winter season to keep it warm and protect it from frosting. 

9. Kalanchoe Tomentosa

Kalanchoe tomentosa, aka panda plant, is a succulent plant found in Madagascar. It is a small, herbaceous plant that has oval, grey-green leaves. The leaves are covered with white, woolly fuzz.

Kalanchoe Tomentosa

Kalanchoes tomentosa is a fantastic low-light succulent, even though it thrives in bright light due to its small size.

10. Haworthia Attenuata

Haworthia attenuata is a succulent plant that is native to South Africa. It belongs to the family Asphodelaceae, subfamily Asphodeloideae and Genus: Haworthia. 

There are 109 species of Haworthia, and about 30 of them come from the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa.

Haworthia Attenuata

Haworthias are small succulent plants that form rosettes up to 4″ (10cm) in diameter, with fleshy leaves arranged in a spiral formation. They are the smallest of the mesembs found within the genus Haworthia (Aizoaceae family).

Haworthia attenuata prefers bright light but also does well in low sunlight, making it a good option for those who want to add a succulent to their collection but don’t have a lot of sunlight. 

Haworthia attenuata also doesn’t require a lot of water, making it easy to care for.

11. Rhipsalis

Rhipsalis is a genus of about sixty species of succulent plants in the family Cactaceae, native to Central and South America. The species form low, creeping stems and hang down from the branches like slender ropes.

Rhipsalis

The flowers are often short-lived and self-sterile. Rhipsalis is one of several genera that make up the tribe Rhipsalideae within the subfamily Cactoideae. 

They are tolerant of a wide range of light levels, from full sunlight to complete shade.

They also don’t require a lot of water, making them ideal for people who forget to water their plants or those who live in dry climates. And finally, they are easy to care for and don’t have any significant problems with pests or diseases.

12. Cotyledon Tomentosa aka Bear Paws

Cotyledon Tomentosa is a succulent plant that is indigenous to South Africa. It’s common name is the “Silver Carpet”. Its silver appearance, sometimes with a tinge of pink, is what makes it so unique. 

Cotyledon Tomentosa

Cotyledon Tomentosa is a succulent that can tolerate low light conditions and is drought-resistant. 

This silver succulent is easy to care for and will do best in soil with good drainage. Because Cotyledon Tomentosa is a slow-growing succulent, you should not have any issues with over-watering. It’s not very susceptible to insect issues, but it can occur. 

13. Gasteria

Gasteria is a type of plant that is found in the Aloe family. It is found in the dry regions of Africa. They are often sold as little succulents with grass-like leaves, which do not seem too interesting. 

Gasteria

However, they produce big flowers that bloom only once every several years and last for just 24 hours or so. The flower stalk can grow up to five feet tall!

Gasteria does best in a sunny spot but can also tolerate some partial shade. They don’t like to be over-watered, so it’s important to let the soil dry out between waterings. 

14. Platycerium

Platycerium is a type of plant that is found in the Polypodiaceae family. It is a fern that is found in tropical and subtropical areas. 

Platycerium

The Platycerium plant has two different types of leaves: sterile and fertile leaves. The sterile leaves are used to produce the spores, while the fertile leaves are used for photosynthesis.

The Platycerium plant does not require a lot of light to grow. It can grow in shaded areas or indirect sunlight. However, the Platycerium plant will grow faster and have more leaves if it is placed in a sunny area.

15. Euphorbia Milii

Euphorbia Milii is a succulent plant. It is a perennial evergreen that has fleshy leaves and stems. The flowers are small and are in terminal cymes. The fruit is a follicle that contains numerous seeds. 

Euphorbia Milii

It is native to Tanzania and Uganda. It has smooth, green stems which are branching at the base. 

The thin, lanceolate leaves are olive-green with longitudinal grooves that run along. These branches tend to cluster around an older central stem. One or two thin, white roots grow from each node on the plant’s branches.

Euphorbia Milii needs bright light but can be kept in an area where it can get indirect sunlight for at least six hours a day. It also does well in warmer room temperatures. 

16. Burro’s Tail

Burro’s Tail is a succulent plant that is native to Mexico. The swollen leaves are greenish-brown, flattened or cylindrical depending on the subspecies. Burro’s tail forms a large underground tuber, similar to other members of the genus. 

While most plants have simple leaves which are green tinged with brown, some forms have red tips to their leaves and green flowers protruding from within the rosette of leaves. 

New rosettes can arise from growing tips at intervals along the stem, and older ones get pushed away as new growth takes place. 

Burro’s tail is one of the slowest-growing succulents. The plant’s leaves can grow up to 60 cm long but are often half that length. Burro’s tail plants are popular as house plants because of their very low maintenance requirements and their ease of growth.

Burro’s Tail plants do well in medium to bright light. Partial sun is best, but they can also tolerate full sunlight if they are acclimated slowly. 

In direct sunlight, the leaves may get sunburned, so it’s best to move them to a shadier spot during the hottest part of the day.

17. String of Bananas

The String of Bananas (also known as “Senegalia berlandieri”) is a type of plant that is used for ornamental purposes and belongs to the family Fabaceae (subfamily Mimosoideae). 

It is a cactus-like plant with multiple thin, straight trunks. The string of bananas plant can grow up to 30 feet high and 4 inches in diameter.

String of Bananas

The String of Bananas does not have a high lighting requirement. 

It can grow in direct sunlight or partial sunlight. Many people think that this plant requires a lot of care and attention. 

That’s not true. The String of Bananas is very adaptable to different environments and can be found growing in dry grasslands and thorn scrub as well as moist areas such as river banks.

18. Fox Tail Agave

Fox Tail Agave is a succulent plant that is native to Mexico. It has a rosette of thin, blue-green leaves that are edged with white teeth. The flowers are borne on a tall spike and are a tubular, creamy-white color.

Fox Tail Agave plants direct sunlight for at least six hours a day. But they will tolerate some shade, though, particularly in extremely hot, dry conditions.

It would be best to plant them in well-draining soil. Fox Tail Agave should be watered about once a week or when the soil dry.

19. Flaming Katy Kalanchoe

The Flaming Katy Kalanchoe is a beautiful flower that is native to Madagascar. It has bright red and orange petals, and blooms throughout the year. 

It is a hardy plant with low maintenance. Once you have one of these plants, it is almost impossible to kill them.

The Flaming Katy Kalanchoe does best in bright, indirect sunlight. They can tolerate low light levels, but will not bloom as well in those conditions. If you are growing your plant indoors, place it near a window to get some indirect sunlight.

20. String of Pearls

The String of Pearls plant is a succulent that is found in Africa and Madagascar. The plant has long, strap-like leaves that hang down from a central stem. 

The leaves are green and variegated with white stripes. The String of Pearls plant flowers are small and white, and they grow in clusters along the stem.

Flaming Katy Kalanchoe

The plant does well in bright light but can also tolerate some direct sunlight. It should be kept in a pot with a drainage hole to prevent the roots from becoming waterlogged. 

The plant should be watered regularly, and the soil should be allowed to dry out between waterings.

3. How do I know if my succulents are getting too much or too little light?

It’s important to monitor your succulent’s environment to make sure it’s getting the proper amount of light. Here are some signs that your succulent is getting too much or not enough light:

Too Much Sunlight – The leaves will turn brown and crispy, while the stems may start to “bleach” or exfoliate. This happens when the sun burns the outer layers of the plant.

Too Little Sunlight – This is pretty easy to spot, as succulents need sunlight to grow! If your succulent isn’t receiving enough light, it will become leggy and weak. It may even start yellowing or dropping leaves.